Rating: 
Summary: An interesting biography, a valuable perspective
Review: "Founding Father" is not a long biography (199 pages), but it is an interesting piece of writing. It is split into 3 areas - about one-half of the book is straight biography, about one-third is an analysis of the character of our first president and the balance is an analysis of what it means to be a founding father, how Washington measures up to that ideal and what kind of "father" he was.
The biography section is great - straightforward and written in an engaging and lively style. The character portion bogs down quite a bit and the founding father section is interesting (it asserts that he was the kind of father who was most concerned with preparing his children for life outside of his home - life on their own. He encourage other people to step into leadership roles to fill the vacuum that would be there when he walked away from the national spotlight.)
One quote, above all, highlights the best parts of Washington. It comes from Napoleon, who comments in a moment of self-pity after Waterloo, "They wanted me to be another Washington." Think of it - Washington was handed the power to be a dictator and he turned it down. In fact, this book mentions that in all of Washington's letters, he only gets truly angry at one man, and immediately writes a rough letter to a colleague who suggests that Washington make himself king when the Articles of Confederation government begins to founder.
Brookhiser makes an interesting observation about Washington's impact on American politics by pointing out the length of time he was nationally prominent in comparison with other American leaders. For example, FDR was president for 12 years, Reagan was only politically important for the 8 years of his presidency, Eisenhower was important for the 8 years of his presidency plus his time as a general in WWII (12 years total). Lincoln - 7 years if you count from the time of the famed Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. Washington, in comparison was a national figure for 24 years - 17 of them as the leader of the country (you've got to count him as de facto leader of the country while he was leading the Continental Army since everybody knew that if he failed the whole Revolution would fail).
Brookhiser focuses on Washington and slavery in the character portion of the biography and, while Washington does not live up to modern standards on this issue, he was remarkably progressive for his time. He refused to sell any of his slaves since that would tear apart families. He is the only American president who freed his slaves upon his death. Washington seems to have dealt with the contadictions of "All men are created equal..." and slavery by mostly ignoring it.
So, to sum up, there are 3 sections to the book and I found the middle section to be a bit tedious.
Rating: 
Summary: A short volume on our greatest citizen
Review: A short telling of the life of George Washington. Brookhiser's writing is difficult to find an audience. He writes short biographies that gloss over and mention items that are not readily understood by those new to the subject. At the same time, those who are knowledgeable on the subject will find the books lacking detail and not enjoy the book as well. This book on George Washington is no exception. The book is well written, but difficult to read because of the information that is packed into this 200+ page volume. One must pay excruciating detail to the book to not miss anything. Not until reading Flexner's "George Washington-The Indispensable Man", did I feel I understood enough about our first President. This book is a good short primer for those not really interested in in-depth study.
Rating:
Summary: A short volume on our greatest citizen
Review: A short telling of the life of George Washington. Brookhiser's writing is difficult to find an audience. He writes short biographies that gloss over and mention items that are not readily understood by those new to the subject. At the same time, those who are knowledgeable on the subject will find the books lacking detail and not enjoy the book as well. This book on George Washington is no exception. The book is well written, but difficult to read because of the information that is packed into this 200+ page volume. One must pay excruciating detail to the book to not miss anything. Not until reading Flexner's "George Washington-The Indispensable Man", did I feel I understood enough about our first President. This book is a good short primer for those not really interested in in-depth study.
Rating: 
Summary: Brookhiser Hits a New Level
Review: Brookhiser has done two things here. First, he has contributed to our understanding of our first president, who for so many has become just a face on a quarter, or a hairdo on a one dollar bill. George Washington was so big, that his legacy can handle many more books. This book serves as an incisive thematic essay, grounded in the perspective of fathering, and fathering a whole country. The fact that Washington never fathered any of his own children makes this more interesting.Second, we have here a new, more serious Brookhiser, shown by his subsequent biography of Alexander Hamilton. Brookhiser cut his teeth writing for National Review, and wrote some incredibly perceptive essays on the Republican primary contestants in 1980. The good news is that he has deepened as a writer, and now shows that he can also research back in time. This book reads fast, but sinks deep. Buy it, read it.
Rating:
Summary: Best if you already know a bit about the subject.
Review: I don't profess to be an expert on George Washington, but I have read some (Flexner, Angel in a Whirlwind) and, though I thoroughly enjoyed this rather thin book, would not recommend it to someone who didn't already have some familiarity with GW. The book includes a number of thought provoking commentaries, but I think assumes that the reader is fairly well-versed in the basic life and times of its subject. In reading this book (and other biographies), you can't help but admire the man and marvel at our good fortune in having men of his character when we needed them most. (You also can't help but cringe (or weep) when comparing him to the latest gentleman to hold the office.)
Rating:
Summary: Adding to the legend
Review: In the overall history of the beginnings of the United States, George Washington looms larger than any other participant. The number of books about him are proof of that, if nothing else is. He has been biographied, eulogized, characterized, historied, and fictionalized. And in today's politically correct world, he has even been demonized. Yet everyone who has written about him has had to admit that for good or ill, we would not have the country we know without him. In Founding Father, Richard Brookhiser, examines why and when Washington became known as the father of our country. He divides his study into three major categories: Career, Character, Founding Father. A fourth category, Death, brings the examination to a close. More than most of the Founders, our first President was a self-made man. His formal education was limited, although his experience was extensive, beginning as a teenager in a surveying party in the western lands. He shaped his own character by following rules of behavior which he thought appropriate to a man in his position. Not without faults, such as a fiery temper and being a slaveowner, he strove all of his life to be the best man he could be. Brookhiser describes how Washington worked to be better, and worried about things he could not completely control. He risked everything to free the U.S. from the British. Afterwards, when he would have enjoyed life at Mt. Vernon, he answered the call to serve his country once more as its first president. To the world at large, both in his own time and down through the centuries to today, the most important contribution he made was when he stepped down and went home after his second term. This is a valuable addition to our knowledge of the man some have called "the indispensable man" in early American history. Brookhiser helps the reader get past the portraits, the dollar bill, and enigma, and to better understand the man behind them all. Readers who enjoy this book, might also enjoy Richard Norton Smith's "Patriarch," James Thomas Flexner's "Washignton: The Indispensable Man," and for fiction, Howard Fast's "The Crossing."
Rating:
Summary: Adding to the legend
Review: In the overall history of the beginnings of the United States, George Washington looms larger than any other participant. The number of books about him are proof of that, if nothing else is. He has been biographied, eulogized, characterized, historied, and fictionalized. And in today's politically correct world, he has even been demonized. Yet everyone who has written about him has had to admit that for good or ill, we would not have the country we know without him. In Founding Father, Richard Brookhiser, examines why and when Washington became known as the father of our country. He divides his study into three major categories: Career, Character, Founding Father. A fourth category, Death, brings the examination to a close. More than most of the Founders, our first President was a self-made man. His formal education was limited, although his experience was extensive, beginning as a teenager in a surveying party in the western lands. He shaped his own character by following rules of behavior which he thought appropriate to a man in his position. Not without faults, such as a fiery temper and being a slaveowner, he strove all of his life to be the best man he could be. Brookhiser describes how Washington worked to be better, and worried about things he could not completely control. He risked everything to free the U.S. from the British. Afterwards, when he would have enjoyed life at Mt. Vernon, he answered the call to serve his country once more as its first president. To the world at large, both in his own time and down through the centuries to today, the most important contribution he made was when he stepped down and went home after his second term. This is a valuable addition to our knowledge of the man some have called "the indispensable man" in early American history. Brookhiser helps the reader get past the portraits, the dollar bill, and enigma, and to better understand the man behind them all. Readers who enjoy this book, might also enjoy Richard Norton Smith's "Patriarch," James Thomas Flexner's "Washignton: The Indispensable Man," and for fiction, Howard Fast's "The Crossing."
Rating:
Summary: Founding Father
Review: It is unfortunate that Washington has been reduced to an unsmiling portrait on a one dollar bill, the story that he had wooden teeth, and a fable about him fessing up to chopping down a cherry tree. Here was THE founding father of our country. In an era of great patriots: Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Henry, they chose him to be their leader. It is not unreasonable to state that if it were not for Washington there would be no United States today. Brookhiser successfully examines Washington the icon and gives us insight into Washington the man. Washington's accomplishments are staggering to consider. He had the sagacity to defeat the most powerful military force in his time AND launched a new nation that would endure throughout the ages. This book should be read by every American. In a sense he is a father to us all. I wish the book was larger in scope.
Rating:
Summary: A quick, concise read.
Review: Richard Brookhiser does an admirable, if Spartan job, of keeping the memory of our Founding Father alive.
I bought this book because it occured to me that with all the titles available these days on Jefferson and Franklin, I hadn't seen much prefered on Washington. I suspected, and still do, that the reason is liberal academians prefer to write about those Founders more dear to their hearts.
Brookhiser spends very little time on the intimate details of Washington's life. Martha, his wife, is barely mentioned. This book dwells on the highlights of Washington's careers in service to this country. It makes for a good primer to more in depth biography that I plan to pursue down the road. It could serve that purpose for you too.
Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Up!
Review: Richard Brookhiser introduces a new kind of look at George Washington, whose legacy has been all but forgotten in today's society. Citizens today fail to realize the full scope of just how great this man was and the admiration he and his legacy received, not just in early America, but throughout the world. Even King George III said upon Washington's retirement as Commander in Chief placed him "in a light the most distinguished of any man living" and that he was "the greatest character of the age." There have been countless volumes written on the man, and his tremendous legacy provides room for countless more volumes. That said, this is not the book for someone with limited (public school system) education on Washington. Before picking up this book, you would want to read something else, such as Rasmussen and Tilton's George Washington: The Man Behind the Myths, Washington Irving's George Washington: A Biography, or even the great historical fiction by Jeffrey Shaara, The Glorious Cause, part 2 of his series on the Revolutionary War. Not that someone first learning about George Washington wouldn't enjoy this book, but it may a bit `deep' for the beginner and would be enjoyed more with a good background understanding of the subject. Brookhiser begins with Washington the General during the war, then moves to the drafting of the Constitution and finally, on to his role as President. The second half of the book is dedicated to the character of George Washington. Brookhiser gives good insight into how a man who never fathered children of his own could go on to be such a successful and admired father of a nation. Brookhiser gives the reader a brief look at Washington's Christianity, his proclivity of viewing life as a theatre play, and his establishment of a standard of how things are conducted in our nation's capital. For instance, how Washington refused to turn over to the House, sensitive information regarding Jay's Treaty. The book focuses a good bit as well on Washington's Farewell Address. Overall, this is an enjoyable read for anyone with a sound knowledge of the father of our country. You will surely find a few other books to add to your reading list in the extensive bibliography. Like all of Brookhiser's books, I give this one a thumbs up.
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